Nine months after being shot by two armed robbers, a UK missionary will return to the Democratic Republic of Congo to fight for her alleged attacker.

Maud Kells, 75, was shot at night in her home in the remote village of Mulita in January this year.

Three men have been arrested in connection with the shooting, but Kells, who knows all of the accused, claims they are innocent and plans to return to DRC to defend them.

"It's all bribery and corruption out there," she said.

"I've had to pay quite a lot of money to try and get the men out. I tried to find out why my night guard was in prison and was told it was because he had not tried to stop the bandits from shooting me. But there is no way that he could have prevented them.

"I've known these men for all these years.

"I know them inside out and I just know that they wouldn't do anything like that. They were always very supportive in protecting me in the past."

After the event one man, a trusted hospital secretary, was arrested and subsequently released with Kells' help. Another, a carpenter and deacon at the mission, feared he would be beaten and arrested and fled to the rainforest where he is still hiding.

Maud is keen to help her night guard, who is remains in prison due to alleged involvement in the shooting.

His treatment in the prison has been poor: "He became very ill and nearly died a fortnight ago but I was able to send out some money to help him buy medicine," she said.

Kells has announced that she is expectant of a promise from the Lord before her return to DRC.

"If it's his will, then he will give me promises of protection. He has done that already with verses Psalm 9.1 'For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

"I will put my faith and trust in God just as I always have done through the years."

She has been living in Mulita for six months each year since 1968 as a missionary nurse and Bible teacher. She received an OBE in the Queens New Year's Honours list for her work.

Her return to the Congo is also motivated by the pending completion of the nursery her church was building and the official hand over to her successor.